How to Set a Goal and Keep It

Ever had trouble setting goals and keeping them?  You're not the only one.  Here are some quick steps you can take to meet those goals you know you can.

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I love goals.  I've been setting and completing them for as long as I can remember.  I find I have a hard time completing any task without setting a goal.  I thought everyone was like this, but when I asked my team to create goals for their departments they were lost.  They had no idea even where to start.  So here 5 easy steps to setting and keeping your goals.

1. Begin with the end in mind If you've ever read Steven Covey's book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," you know this is one of them.  We all need to use a little imagination and envision what our desired outcome will be before we begin any task.  For example, as a new year's resolution, I set as a goal to run a 10k race.  The days spent on the treadmill and out on the road were long and sometimes grueling.  Sometimes just getting out of bed was hard, but I knew I wanted the desired outcome and was determined to meet my goal. Think about what you want to accomplish.  What will it look like?  How will you feel?  What will your friends and family say?  
2. Set attainable, realistic goals When I started running in January, I could barely run for more than a minute.  How could I possibly be able to run for a solid hour or more?  I decided to break it down.  I set a smaller goal of running a 5k and downloaded an app that gave me a week by week plan to complete the run.  This was an easier, much more attainable goal and was informed by reality.  It took me 6 months to reach the goal, but I knew I could reach it.  If you have a huge goal, break it up into smaller, time-sensitive goals that are much easier to accomplish.
3. Set a Time Limit I don't know about you, but if someone tells  me that the task is no rush, I'm in no rush to complete it.  Set a clear time when you plan to accomplish the goal.  As I was nearing the end of my 10k training, I realized that I would finish very close to the Tampa Bay Area's Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day.  I knew I was going to be in town, so I redoubled my efforts to make sure I was ready for the big race. Many times goals never get completed because there is no sense of urgency.  I'm not saying you need to be stressed out all the time because everything has to be done right now. I am saying every goal needs a set time limit so you know how long you need to work on it.
4. Re-evaluate and revise I'm not a perfect goal-setter.  There are some times I set up great goals and fail to meet them.  There are a number of contributing factors, but the bottom line is what are you going to do about it?  If it looks like you're not going to make your goal, take some time to re-evaluate the goal.  Is this something you want to do?  Is this realistic for me now?  Do I need more time?  What resources do I need to successful?  After asking these questions, revise your goals to suit your current reality.
5. Keep going  The best way to fail at reaching your goal is to just quit.  Life can get busy and hard.  You can get sick, lose your job, or a loved one passes.  Life happens.  You need to have a determination to keep going.  Make the decision to accomplish the goal today.  Then tomorrow make it again.  Before you know it the goal will be reached, and you can celebrate! 

Goal setting can be scary, but it doesn't have to be.  You can set goals and have a more productive, happy life. The new year is coming.  Maybe it's time you actually made that New Year's Resolution and kept it.  Stay focused. Get some help. Finish. Celebrate!

What are some of your goals?  Have you accomplished something you didn't know you could until you tried?  Share your story in the comments below.